Lower Your Alzheimer’s Risk

What is interesting and important to understand about chronic disease is that it very rarely exists in a bubble. If you are developing changes in your brain that are indicative of Alzheimer’s, you’re probably also experiencing signs of insulin resistance, such as diabetes or obesity. And, meanwhile, you may also be showing signs of heart disease, such as high blood pressure. Chronic diseases are intricately intertwined as they’re the product of imbalances in your body that are manifesting, likely after years spent festering just below the surface. Implementing a few simple techniques can address the underlying causes of multiple chronic diseases and Alzheimer’s is no exception.

This includes:

Consume Ashwaganda. Ashwaganda is a small perennial herb that grows to be about 5 feet tall. While often regarded as an herb for stress reduction and improved energy and vitality, there is a robust body of research that now shows ashwaganda’s potential therapeutic effects in a number of health conditions, including Alzheimer’s. In 2005, researchers found that derivatives isolated from ashwaganda improved neuronal connectivity in both normal and damaged brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease-model mice. This is a key component of treating the disease, as researchers pointed out:

“The reconstruction of neuronal networks in the damaged brain is necessary for the therapeutic treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.”

Eat turmeric. The compound curcumin, which is found in the spice turmeric, is another notable herb for brain health. Recently revealed as effective in helping to stop the protein clumping that is the first step in diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, past research has shown that curcumin may help inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients, as well as break up existing plaques. People with Alzheimer’s tend to have higher levels of inflammation in their brains, and curcumin is most known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Optimize vitamin D. In 2007 researchers at the University of Wisconsin uncovered strong links between low levels of vitamin D in Alzheimer’s patients and poor outcomes on cognitive tests. Scientists launched the study after family members of Alzheimer’s patients who were treated with large doses of prescription vitamin D reported that they were acting and performing better than before. Researchers believe that optimal vitamin D levels may enhance the amount of important biomolecules in your brain and protect brain cells. Vitamin D receptors have been identified throughout the human body, and that includes in your brain. Sufficient vitamin D is also imperative for the proper functioning of your immune system to combat excessive inflammation, and, as mentioned earlier, other research has discovered that people with Alzheimer’s tend to have higher levels of inflammation in their brains.

Limit Fructose.Ideally it is important to keep your fructose consumption below 25 grams per day. Since the average person is exceeding this recommendation by 300% this is a pervasive and serious issue. Additionally, when your liver is busy processing fructose (the liver converts fructose to fat), it severely hampers its ability to make cholesterol, which is one of the primary building blocks of the brain. This is yet another important facet that explains how and why excessive fructose consumption is so detrimental to your health.

Eat a nutritious diet, rich in folate. Vegetables, without question, are the best form of folate, and we should all eat plenty of fresh, raw veggies every day.

High-quality animal based omega-3 fats. High intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA helps by preventing cell damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease, thereby slowing down its progression, and lowering your risk of developing the disorder. Researchers have also said DHA “dramatically reduces the impact of the Alzheimer’s gene.”

Avoid and remove mercury from your body. Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed. Find a biological dentist to have your amalgams removed.

Avoid aluminum. Aluminum can be found in a number of products most of us use on a daily basis,such as antiperspirants, non-stick cookware, vaccine adjuvants, etc. Avoid aluminum as much as possible.

Avoid flu vaccinations. As most contain both mercury and aluminum, as well as egg proteins (e.g. myelin basic protein), which the body may produce antibodies against and that cross-react with the myelin coating your nerves, in effect causing your immune system to attack your nervous system!

Eat blueberries. Wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content, are known to guard against Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.

Avoid anticholinergic and statin drugs. Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of dementia. These drugs include certain night-time pain relievers, antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, medications to control incontinence, and certain narcotic pain relievers. A study found that those who took drugs classified as ‘definite anticholinergics’ had a four times higher incidence of cognitive impairment. Regularly taking two of these drugs further increased the risk of cognitive impairment. Statin drugs are particularly problematic because they suppress the synthesis of cholesterol, which is again, so critical for brain health. As Dr. Stephanie Seneff reports:

“Statin drugs interfere with cholesterol synthesis in the liver, but the lipophilic statin drugs (like lovastatin and simvastatin) also interfere with the synthesis of cholesterol in the brain. This would then directly impact the neurons’ ability to maintain adequate cholesterol in their membranes. Indeed, a population-based study showed that people who had ever taken statins had an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a hazard ratio of 1.21. More alarmingly, people who used to take statins had a hazard ratio of 2.54 (over two and a half times the risk to Alzheimer’s) compared to people who never took statins.”

To avoid the onset of Alzheimer’s, as well as a number of other chronic diseases, the most obvious and effective measure is to live in which you limit toxic exposure to mercury and aluminum, as well as maintain a diet full of fresh, whole foods, avoiding processed foods as much as possible, which naturally protects and nourishes the body from the inside out!